


South of the Border

by OhNoHello



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Beach Sex, Beaches, F/M, Hook-Up, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:47:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29116992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhNoHello/pseuds/OhNoHello
Summary: It wasn’t that Mercedes was against any type of relationship, she would welcome and enjoy it, but it had to come naturally. As most things in her life did. The reuniting with her brother, her career, all of it had slotted so neatly into place. If someone wanted to share that life with her, they would come around just as simply as well.Until then, she would enjoy her independence.She was on vacation after all.
Relationships: Mercedes von Martritz/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 2
Kudos: 40





	South of the Border

**Author's Note:**

> Big thank you to @tomaarrie on Twitter for requesting this one. I have never written this absolutely adorable ship before and had a blast with this one. Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy it 💕💕

Lights twinkled in strands overhead, criss crossing over the dance floor. A steady pulse of bass married the upbeat harmony of the live band that played in the corner. Lively conversation mingled about as bodies moved as one in a mass of mirth and dance. The air was thick with humidity, the heat a welcome presence, an escape from the chill of the inland. The cool breeze of the night air was a soothing balm on sun kissed skin. 

Beneath it all, the sounds of ocean waves rolled in and out along the beach.

The resort was a spacious sprawling affair that functioned more like a compound of rest and relaxation. A colorful structure made of pale stone that stood stalwart against the ocean winds. Sprinkled with brilliant shades of blues and reds and greens. Palm trees dotted around the base of the buildings in strategic positions best suited to please the eye. In the night they swayed in the breeze. 

The outdoor bar and dance floor was a hot spot for evening recreation. A perpetual party that existed in that place of joyous escape. Seemingly every guest in the resort had gathered there to socialize, dance, and drink the night away. 

Mercedes sat at the bar with her friends and slowly sipped from the brilliant orange pink concoction she had ordered. She had lost count of how many she had, the drink suspiciously sugary and deceptively alcoholic. It leapt from her taste buds and directly into her brain, making it swim and fuzz pleasantly. 

She stared out into the dark that sloped from the dance bar down into the pitch. Shadows pushed up and down the shore line, like ghosts, as the waves swayed in and out. The moon shone bright and full, illuminating just enough sand into a romantic painting of nature. 

“All I’m saying is that you don’t want to end up an old maid, right?” 

Mercedes closed her eyes and pretended she didn’t hear her friend. She took another long sip from her drink and her straw sang a hollow noise as the glass emptied. 

“Now is the time,” Constance continued to insist, not doing much better in the sobriety department as Mercedes was. “You’re in your prime. You should get out there and get it.” 

“Glass houses,” was all Mercedes said. 

Constance’s smile immediately dropped and she huffed. 

“I at least am on the hunt,” Constance muttered. 

“She does have a point Mercy,” Annette said, leaning further onto the bar to see around Constance. 

“Oh Annie, not you too,” Mercedes said, laughter bubbling under her voice. 

“She’s not allowed to talk.” Constance waved her off. “Happily married women don’t get a say.” 

“Hey!” Annette protested. 

“Just take a look around.” Constance put a hand on Mercedes’ shoulder, forcing her to look out over the dance floor. “You have a prime selection here.” 

She did have a point. The amount of bodies on display, still half dressed in their bathing suits, was something out of a magazine. Gorgeous men and women, all blissfully single. Mercedes spared the crowd a single appraising glance before turning back to her friend. 

“They’re people, not a buffet,” she said. 

“But you can still eat well.” Constance winked. 

Mercedes looked between her friends, a pleasant small smile on her face. 

“I’m going to go for a walk,” she announced.

The second Mercedes was on her feet, she realized just how much the drink had affected her. The world spun and the lights blurred into a swirl of color and firelight. Her legs wobbled as if made of jelly and she staggered to keep herself upright. 

“You sure about that?” Constance laughed. 

“Yes,” Mercedes said nodding her head with finality. “You enjoy your prowl. I’m going to enjoy the beach. I will let you know if I find any ghosts.”

Annette shuddered at the thought. 

“See you back at the hotel room Mercy!” She waved as Mercedes walked off. “Stay safe.” 

Mercedes paused at the stairway down to the beach and waved back to her friends, nothing more than a pinpoint of clarity among a sea of blur. With one hand carefully on the rail, she descended the stairs, taking the steps slowly and looking out over the bleak. 

It wasn’t that Mercedes was against any type of relationship, she would welcome and enjoy it, but it had to come naturally. As most things in her life did. The reuniting with her brother, her career, all of it had slotted so neatly into place. If someone wanted to share that life with her, they would come around just as simply as well. 

Until then, she would enjoy her independence. 

She was on vacation after all.

Mercedes slid off her sandals at the last sand covered step and stepped out into the soft warmth of the beach. Her toes sunk in, sand sifting to accommodate her feet. Between the unsteady ground and the alcohol swimming in her head, each step floated like a dream. She strolled along in the dark, kissed by the starlight, and enjoyed her vacation. The music faded in the distance, the roar of the ocean occupying her mind. She smiled and closed her eyes, each step a dance with herself. 

“Well hello there,” came a voice she did not know. 

Mercedes stopped in her tracks and looked over her shoulder. Three figures walked through the shadows, appearing like wraiths. Mercedes would have welcomed ghosts, but the three men who approached her were very much human. 

Mercedes put on her best smile and stood her ground. 

“Good evening,” one of them said, leaning forward, hands behind his back. “What has _you_ out so late?” 

“Enjoying a nice stroll along the beach,” Mercedes said. “Which I’d like to continue doing. Alone.”

“Don’t you think it's a little dangerous to be out on your own like this?” The third sauntered closer, his intentions all too clear. 

“First there’d have to actually be some danger,” she replied. 

“Oh ho ho ho,” they laughed almost in unison, moving around her in a semicircle. Mercedes took a careful step back. “It seems this one has a little bite.” 

“If you come a little closer,” Mercedes said sweetly. “You’ll see how much bite I have.” 

Their laughter was enough to grate on Mercedes’ last nerve. She tried to ground her stance, to make herself look solid, but she wobbled. The sand betrayed her, the drink shook her. At her stumble, the men laughed at her again. 

“You look like you need a little help,” one said, close enough that Mercedes could smell his cheap body spray, ruining the scent of salt water and sea air. “We can help you home.” 

“I can assure you I don’t need any assistance,” Mercedes said, her airy tone conveying a slight bit of menace. “I can get home on my own.” 

One of the men, one who had maneuvered his way just out of Mercedes’ periphery, reached out to pluck at the strap of Mercedes’ sundress. Drunk or not, self defense kicked in. Mercedes managed to grab hold of two of his fingers and she yanked them in the wrong direction. Despite her frame and her sweet demeanour, there was a strength there and she heard a crack of bones. 

The man yelped and rightfully jumped away. 

“Oh she does have bite!” one of his friends said. 

“Much louder than her bark,” the third said. He stepped dangerously close, almost in _biting_ range. “That’ll make this more fun.” 

Compromised and three against one, Mercedes knew an uphill battle when she saw one. She prided herself in her ability to be able to stand on her own, to not be some wilting flower, but she knew she was going to lose. 

It was unfair. She was on vacation. She had run away from Fódlan, from the chill and her job and men like this. She wanted the sun and sand and heat and the ability to simply shut off her brain that Brigid provided her. She didn’t want that stomped out, didn’t want the rain cloud, and more than anything she was downright offended.

_She was on vacation._

A soft _’eh hem’_ came from further up the beach, almost imperceptible under the rush of waves. A rumbling clearing of the throat, designed to gain attention than any other function. It was enough to stop Mercedes’ would be attackers. All eyes went to the source. 

Another shadow, large and looming, stood a little way down the beach. Another man who blot out the moon, an imposing figure. At their sudden attention, he moved forward, walking through the sand with more confidence and purpose than Mercedes could have conjured herself. 

“I believe she said she doesn’t want your company,” this new man said. 

One of Mercedes’ attackers scoffed. 

“I didn’t hear her say that,” he said. 

“I don’t want your company,” Mercedes said automatically. 

The attacker whirled to frown at her, having the gall to actually be offended. 

“Well that's that then.” 

The new man stepped close behind the string of wraiths in front of Mercedes. He stood nearly a head taller than them and they all craned their necks to look up at him. 

For a moment, it looked like a fight would break out, that the wraiths would argue against this man, try to take their chances against him. Even if it was still three on one, the big man seemed more than enough to take them all on. The fight would give Mercedes a chance to escape, to wobble back to the hotel, but if there was a fight, she would stay. She would help. She would _bite._

The lead attacker turned to look back at Mercedes and clicked his tongue, making the decision that she wasn’t worth the pain. 

“Come on,” he grumbled and shoulder checked the big man as the group of them walked down the beach. 

The big man watched them go, waiting until they were nothing more but human shaped shadows, before he turned his attention back on Mercedes. 

It was one on one, but Mercedes had a brief moment where she considered this new man may have scared the crowd off to have her all to himself. Her adrenaline still ran high and had her on edge, but she saw the way he stood at a careful distance, giving her space to leave if she so desired. Despite his size, it was like he was making himself small, so as to not be a threat. 

Mercedes felt comfortable. 

“Are you alright?” he asked. 

“Yes,” she said with a nod. “I’m fine. Now.” 

Even in the dark, she could see the smile on his face. It was kind and gentle and held no malice. There were scars on his face, a history written across his expression, and while it should have made him look more fearsome, it did nothing of that sort. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, showing off a stylish buzzed undercut. Pale green eyes glistened in the moonlight, looking like the clear ocean water itself. 

“Are you able to make it back to your room okay?” he asked. He looked like he might try to extend a hand, but chose to keep it safely at his side, still giving Mercedes her space. 

“I was actually planning on continuing my walk,” Mercedes said, fluttering her hand down to the dark end of the beach. 

The man laughed. 

“You really do have no fear.” 

Mercedes smiled at that. She hiccuped a little and delicately covered her hand over her mouth. Red heated up her face and she looked shyly up at her saviour. 

“Maybe it would be best,” she said. “If I continued my walk in the morning.” 

“Maybe,” the man said with a nod. 

“Walk me back to my room?” 

The man looked up and down the beach, as if he were the one that had something to be nervous about. 

“If that’s alright,” he said. 

Mercedes nodded and finally the man fell into step alongside her. They walked in a blissful silence, the sounds of the rushing waters creating a soothing symphony to accompany their trek. She appreciated his stoic quiet, a pillar for which she could metaphorically lean on. He still kept a distance between them, careful of the situation Mercedes had just gone through, but under the influence or not, being confronted like that would have slid off Mercedes like water off a duck. 

She wavered in her path, her eyes closing and her mind swimming pleasantly. She could feel the heat coming off the man next to her and the trickle of water beneath her feet as warm waves ebbed in and out. 

A gentle hand rested on her back, righting her path again. 

“What's your name?” the man asked, in an effort to keep her awake. 

Mercedes’ eyes blinked open and she looked up to the man at her side. He was a mountain, looking down at her with kind eyes and haloed in moonlight. 

“Mercy,” she said. “I mean. . . Mercedes. My name is Mercedes.” 

“Mercedes.” She liked the way he said it. “My name is Dedue.” 

“Nice to meet you,” she slurred and leaned in closer. Her steps were sloppy and her head bumped against his chest. 

“What do you do Mercedes?” Dedue asked, trying to prop her upright. 

“Oh I’m. . .” She glared at the ground and the sand swirled beneath her feet. She stumbled again, one foot crossing over the other like a dancer. “I work for. . . I work for a non-profit.” 

“What do you do for them?” Dedue asked. It was patronizing, clearly trying to keep her upright, and Mercedes had half an instinct to dig her heels in and tell him so, but she couldn’t help appreciating what he was trying to do. 

“I. . .” 

She couldn’t keep upright. She couldn’t keep her eyes open. Her stomach churned. The world spun around her. The ground came rushing up at her. 

“Mercedes!” she heard Dedue cry. 

And everything went black. 

_____

Jackhammers pounded from inside Mercedes’ skull. A searing pain that screamed at her to resolve it, like a spoiled child that would not stop their tantrum until they had sweets. She wanted to hide under the blankets, but her brain screamed to move its position, for her to sit up. It had been sitting on its side too long with suddenly too much space to slosh around. The nausea told her to stay in place. The two locked in a feud. There was an unpleasant stale taste in her mouth and she couldn’t shed it from her tongue. 

Mercedes groaned and pulled the blanket over her face and hid deeper into her pillow. 

There was only so much regret Mercedes could have for indulging as she did. She knew a morning like this was bound to come. Poor decision making and silliness was all a part of the plan. 

She was on vacation after all. 

Conceding to the pain, Mercedes sat up with a groan, propping herself up on her elbows. She peered around the darkened hotel room and it took a moment for her to realize that the set up was backwards. The bed was on the opposite wall from what she remembered and it was missing the shared kitchenette from the suite she got with her friends. 

The suitcase that was propped up on the luggage rack was a black hard shell style and not the off white fabric she had selected for her own. A teal and orange geographic scarf unsuitable for the weather had been folded and put on some sort of display beneath the television. There was a feather like pin that was a vaguely familiar shape, as if from a dream. 

After that brief bit of confusion, Mercedes realized she wasn’t wearing her nightgown. Not even the dress she had been wearing the night before. 

She was in a white button down that was five sizes too large for her. The long hem hiked up on her hips and the sleeves dangled rumpled just over her fingers. It smelled like fresh laundry and cologne. She wished she could enjoy it more, but that damned taste overpowered the sweet smell. 

Hazy eyes scanned the room until she came across a figure in the chair. A man that she recognized sat sleeping there, his legs propped up on the ottoman, one folded across the other, leaning against his fist. His face was pressed up, deep in sleep, and he took heavy breaths. 

He had told Mercedes his name the night before. What was it again? 

Dedue. 

What a nice name. It suited him. 

Despite the headache and the way her stomach flip flopped, Mercedes smiled. There was something serene in the way the man slept, a calmness that soothed her. For a second, she could ignore the strangeness of how she woke and the pain in her head. 

For just a second. 

The headache came roaring back, shouting for attention with clanging pots and pans and stabs between her eyes. 

Mercedes winced, groaned, and pinched the bridge of her nose. Beside her, she heard a quick breath in and the rustling of clothes as feet were planted firmly on the floor. 

“You’re awake,” Dedue said. 

“Regrettably,” Mercedes groaned. 

A calm silence covered the room before Dedue rose from his chair. Mercedes squinted one eye open and followed him with her gaze as he walked to the bathroom. The light turned on with a hum and Mercedes winced at the yellow fluorescent harshness of it. A short second later, Dedue returned with painkillers and a glass of water. 

Mercedes graciously accepted the offering. 

“Thank you,” she said. 

Dedue nodded and once again took that respectful step back and maintained distance. 

“I apologize,” he said. 

“Hm?” Mercedes looked up and around the glass of water she was currently downing. 

“You. . . passed out,” Dedue said. “I didn’t know your room so I brought you back here. And you. . . vomited.” 

Mercedes closed her eyes, feeling her face heat. She swallowed water and tried to swallow her embarrassment. She had vague memories of a toilet and having her hair held back. 

“You got some on your dress.” Dedue hummed, then muttered, “You got a lot on your dress.” 

Mercedes gasped for air as she finished and held the empty glass between both hands in her lap. 

“I changed your clothes,” Dedue explained. “Nothing else happened.” 

Mercedes finally opened her eyes and smiled at the thought. She could almost picture the big man delicately looking away as he buttoned up his shirt around her body. 

“Your dress is drying in the shower.” 

Mercedes looked up at Dedue and couldn’t help the heat in her heart. Or it could have been the nausea. Either way, she was grateful. 

“Thank you,” she said again, a rasp in her voice. 

Dedue almost seemed surprised, so sure that Mercedes might have taken offense to his hospitality and respect. He nodded.

Mercedes scanned the room, attempting to blink sleep out of her eyes. She stared at the carefully folded scarf. 

“So this is your room then?” she asked. 

“Yes,” Dedue said with a nod. 

Mercedes turned her lips in a tight smile and toyed with the ends of Dedue’s shirt. 

“Thank you,” she said one last time, painfully quiet. 

“You’re welcome,” Dedue finally said, accepting her thanks. 

A groan in Mercedes’ stomach let her know how painfully empty it was. Simultaneously, it demanded food and warned her that there might be consequences if she even attempted. Her aching headache insisted it be greasy. 

She couldn’t spend the day in Dedue’s room and knew she’d have to lug her hangover back to the suite. She wasn’t looking forward to the mocking that Constance and Annette had in store for her, but if she didn’t relieve them they would spend the whole day locked in a state of worry. 

One leg at a time, she swung out from underneath the comforter into the chill of the room. Goose pimples rose on her bare thighs. 

Dedue looked away, clearing his throat and sporting an obvious blush. As if he hadn’t been the one to dress her in the first place. 

Mercedes smiled up at the gentleman. 

“Could you get me my dress?” Mercedes asked without shame. 

“It’s still a little bit dirty,” Dedue said, looking away. 

Mercedes laughed and looked down at the oversized shirt that just barely covered up her dignity. The buttons had been done all the way up save for one to make sure she didn’t choke in her sleep and she filled it out. 

“I can’t very well go back in your shirt,” she said. 

“I have a robe,” Dedue said, beelining back towards the bathroom. “It's late enough in the morning that it will look like you’re coming from the pool.” 

Mercedes smiled at that. Coming back to her room in the wrong direction and hair dry, she doubted anyone would think that was the case, but it was adorable that Dedue did. 

He looked away as Mercedes carefully unbuttoned his shirt and tied up the plush white hotel robe. In her compromised state, it felt softer than it had any right to. Like a hug made of cotton. 

Dedue walked her to the door and Mercedes was thankful to see that her room was not that far away. She tucked her still slightly damp dress over her arm and smiled up at him. 

“I hope to see you around?” she asked. 

“Me as well,” he said with a nod. 

It would be so simple for Mercedes to stand on her toes and plant a chaste kiss on those lips. It might have been the hangover talking, but Dedue had very kissable lips. The urge kickstarted through Mercedes, but in the end she managed to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground. 

“Goodbye Dedue,” she said with a slight nod of her head and walked down the hall. She felt as if she were floating, her head a helium balloon that might take her away, and she wasn’t 100% sure that she could blame the headache on that. 

It wasn’t until Mercedes was at the end of the hall did she hear the hotel room door close behind her. 

____

The sun beat down with oppressive heat that prickled Mercedes’ skin. She lay in it like a lizard, hoping to withstand the UV rays for a few more minutes. 

Mercedes’ headache had died down with breakfast and a nap, the painkillers working their magic, and she had agreed with her friends that it would be a good idea to spend the day luxuriating on the beach. 

“Flip,” Annette said with a little chirp. 

Constance and Annette rotated and flipped onto their fronts so that the sun may abuse their bare backs. Mercedes sat up and looked down at her friends. 

“You’ll burn Annie,” she said. “Are you sure you don’t want more sunscreen?” 

“I have 15 more minutes, I’ll be fine,” she said. 

“Besides, it’ll be funny,” Constance said. “She’ll match her hair.”

Annette gave Constance a quick smack and Constance just laughed at it. She turned in place, nestling her head in her arms, and looked up at Mercedes. 

“I still can’t believe you were out all night,” she said. “Who knew little Mercedes had it in her.” 

Mercedes didn’t tell her friends about the men who tried to take advantage of her. She _especially_ did not tell them about Dedue. All they knew was that Mercedes hadn’t come to bed in her room and came back wearing a robe with her dress over her arm. 

“Come on Mercy,” Annette said, propping herself up. “What’d you do?” 

“Yeah, _Mercy_ ,” Constance sang. “What was his name?” 

Mercedes didn’t dignify either of those questions with an answer, merely smiled into the sun. 

She was content to lay back down and succumb to her hangover again. Falling asleep in the rays was a bad decision but she didn’t mind in that moment, when she saw the object of their questioning. Walking across the beach was the man she refused to name. 

Dedue walked across the sand, glistening in the sunlight, backed by a clear blue sky. Dark skin shone with a fine sheen of sweat and even from that distance, Mercedes could see a bead roll down the back of his neck. What had been hidden under a conservative button down the night before was on full display. A well defined muscular body, broad shoulders, broad chest, thick trunk. Tree trunk legs were fascinating to watch with each step. Mercedes’ eyes traced the lines of Dedue’s hips to where they disappeared under low set swim trunks. 

Her shades slid down on her nose and she could see every contour with the clarity of the midday sun. Her gaze flicked up in time to see Dedue’s head turn and for green eyes to find her.

He paused, midstep, like a deer caught in a crosshair. Even with the shadowy glare from too bright sun, Mercedes could make out that smile. 

He raised one hand in a wave. Mercedes raised her own, dancing her fingers in the air. 

Keeping his eyes on her for as long as possible, Dedue turned towards the ocean and walked into the waves. Mercedes watched his back and the fascinating way it moved. 

“Mercy?” Annette asked. 

“I’m going to go for a swim,” Mercedes said, rising to her feet. She removed her sun hat and untied her sarong. 

Constance perched up on her forearms and looked over her shoulder. Mercedes couldn’t tell if she caught sight of Dedue or not, and she frankly didn’t care. Mercedes whipped off her sunglasses and threw them down in the pile of her stuff, marching out towards the man she should have kissed that morning. 

“Have fun?” Annette called behind her back. 

She could hear Constance laughing. 

Mercedes didn’t waver. She followed the trail the big man had left, his footsteps already washed away by salt water. He dove into a wave, disappearing under the seafoam. Mercedes kept her unblinking determined trek forward, the lukewarm perfect temperature of the water kissing her shins. Then her thighs. Soon she followed and dunked her head under. 

The pull of the water rocked her body as she floated in the space. Her hair haloed around her without gravity. The water crystal clear she could see the legs treading before her. All it took was a single strong stroke and Mercedes swam up next to them. 

She breached the surface next to Dedue. 

He smiled, his hair coming out of its tie and sticking wet to his face, a little breathless from the swim. Mercedes’ own breath matched his own. They bobbed with the swell of the next wave that broke just past them. Their own corner of the ocean content to be a soft roll of water. 

“Hi,” Mercedes said. 

“Hello,” Dedue said back and it sounded like a laugh. “Feeling better?” 

Mercedes paused, letting her eyes travel over the curve of an exposed shoulder that dipped in and out of the surface. 

“Much,” she said. “Thank you.”

Another wave rushed by and they bobbed with it. Salt water kissed Mercedes’ chin and she could taste it on her tongue. She kicked her legs a little harder to stay afloat, coming up and out of the water from the force of it for just a second. When the wave subsided, she could tell that Dedue could stand flat footed in the soft sand just below the waves. 

“I’m still trying to piece together last night,” she said. 

“I can imagine,” Dedue said. 

“Fill me in?” 

“I’m not sure you want that.” Dedue smiled at her with pity. 

“I’m asking.” 

Another wave passed between them, a bit bigger than the last, pulling them farther out to sea. Mercedes watched the spray tickle Dedue’s face and he blinked against it. His eyelashes were pale against his cheeks. 

They drifted closer to one another. 

“You talked a lot about your non-profit,” he said. 

Mercedes laughed and lowered her eyes. 

“To be fair, I asked,” Dedue said. “You were quite passionate about it.” 

“Thats a little embarrassing,” Mercedes said. 

“Why?” 

“I was sick and babbling about my job.” She managed to look him in the eye. “That makes me sound boring.” 

“Not at all,” Dedue said, shaking his head. His hair clung to his neck in fascinating ways.

Dedue’s fingers brushed against Mercedes’ under the water. I might have been just an accident, their arms moving to keep their heads above the waves, but it still sent a pleasant jolt through Mercedes. 

“I remember you holding back my hair,” she said. 

“Of course,” Dedue said. “I didn’t want you to get dirty.” 

Mercedes felt more herself and smiled sweetly at him. 

“You took a perfect stranger in to take care of her,” she said. “That's wonderful of you.” 

It was Dedue’s turn to look bashful. 

“You did keep trying to ask about me,” he said. “But I felt it was important to keep you talking. You seem like the kind of person who thinks about others first, I can tell.” 

“What did I ask about?” Mercedes asked, putting Dedue first. 

Dedue shrugged, the water tapping at his chin. He was beginning to breathe through the exertion of swimming through water, the deceptive way it exhausted the body by forcing constant movement in the almost gravity-less space. The sheer effort it took to float. 

And flirt. 

“My job, my home, my family, where I’m from,” he said. “You were quite inquisitive.” 

“Did you answer?” Mercedes asked. She could taste the salt on his breath. 

“Briefly,” Dedue said. “I doubt you remember any of it.” 

“No,” Mercedes said. “But I want to know anyways.” 

Dedue’s blush was faint, but what Mercedes did see tickled her heart. She pressed her lips together, licking the salt off them. 

“What do you do for a living Dedue?” she asked. 

“Structural engineer,” Dedue said. “For infrastructure.” 

“So you hold buildings up.” 

Mercedes’ eyes slid over Dedues’ form. Down a thick neck and over broad shoulders that just popped out of the water, moving with every stroke, the muscles rippling with every shift. Dedue’s mouth opened, completely aware of what Mercedes was doing, a smile at the corners and a blush over his cheeks. 

Mercedes wondered what else he could hold up. 

The rush of another wave quietly snuck up on them and the shadow of its swell blot out the sun moments before it hit. It crashed down on them, knocking Mercedes under the water. She fumbled, reaching out for whatever she could hold on to, and found the girth of Dedue’s arm. His hand wrapped around her back and held onto her, whether for his own stability or to make sure she didn’t float away. 

Mercedes was pulled up against the tight, hard, warmth of Dedue’s body. Her hand rested on his chest of its own accord. Even under the brine, his skin was soft as silk. Eyes closed to keep out the sting, her face pressed into his neck. Their legs bumped into one another, knees knocking and becoming entwined. Mercedes gasped out of shock and a slew of bubbles released between them, her mouth open as they breached the surface. 

They panted for air together, close enough to breathe into one another. When Mercedes blinked her eyes open, salt water making her lashes stick together, Dedue was close enough to be a blur. Close enough that she could see the definition in his irises, the flecks of gold there. 

They bobbed among the waves, pulled up against each other. The sound of rushing water filled Mercedes’ ears, the laughter from the beach a distant memory. 

Dedue smelled of salt and spice and the soap from the hotel bathroom. He was heat against her body. His fingers splayed as he pressed down tighter on the small of her bare back. 

A slow smile formed over his face and a calm slid under Mercedes’ fingertips. 

“Wooo Dedue get it!” 

Mercedes jolted and the two of them looked to the shore. A group of men stood along the shore line, each of them displaying varying levels of interest. Mild curiosity from a blonde with an eyepatch, polite amusement and happiness from a particularly short one. The dark haired one who was in the beginning stages of a burn, frowned in irritation and Mercedes wasn’t sure if it was from Dedue or the burn. A tall red head with a too large grin waved his hand over head, the clear owner of the cat call. 

He cupped both hands around his mouth. 

“Wooo!” 

Dedue puffed out a laugh, choosing to be amused by the man. 

“I’m here with friends,” he explained. “I’m not. . . particularly social. Usually.” 

“Oh me too.” 

Mercedes pointed to the beach where Annette and Constance stood. Annie, bless her, had the presence of mind to seem politely interested with no reservations or judgement. If Constance’s knowing grin was any indicator, she had a few judgements. 

Mercedes sighed and turned back to Dedue. His smile was nothing more than kind. 

He still held Mercedes tight, not letting go. 

Mercedes didn’t want him to.

“Have dinner with me tonight?” he asked.

Mercedes leaned back, if anything but to fully see his face. She said nothing, but only smiled, a silent question on her lips. She answered it on her own. 

“Okay,” she said. 

_____

“And then there he was, covered head to toe in mud, having tracked it all over the house, and he just looked my mother right in the eye and said ‘but mummy, I couldn’t get the budgie.”

Dedue snorted into his wine glass and covered his mouth, attempting to keep it from coming out his nose. He bent over the table, his shoulders shaking from giggling. Mercedes laughed quietly behind her hand, more amused at her date’s reaction than the story she shared. The wine was starting to effect both of them. Giggles came easier and a silly dizziness wrapped around them. 

“Does he really sound like that?” Dedue asked. 

“Oh he’s sounded like that since his voice dropped,” Mercedes said, taking a sip of her wine. “He thinks highly of himself, but get him in front of mother or me and he’s back to being that awkward 13 year old boy again.” 

Mercedes loved talking about her brother and had been swapping stories with Dedue all evening. She learned about his own family, sadly gone, his conscription into service in his home country, and how he got his scars. She learned he had a penchant for cooking and gardening, that he had converted his kitchen into a chef quality kitchen and that he had a sprawling fresh food garden behind his house. She learned about his friends and that they had all but dragged him onto vacation. 

That he was glad they did. 

In turn, Mercedes shared about her non-profit, but far more coherent, most of it having already been said between alcohol induced retching. She talked about her love for baking and that she did not need to upgrade her oven to make a good batch of cookies. That she loved ghost stories and she shared some of her favorites with Dedue. 

They talked about religion and tragedy and how they both one day would like children. They talked about sports and how they were fans of opposing teams. They talked about things they weren’t supposed to talk about on first dates. 

But this wasn’t a date. 

Right? 

The dinner they shared was wonderful, simple, nice. Dedue had mentioned how nice his fish was and Mercedes asked for a taste. She had fully intended to reach across the table, but Dedue scooped up a bite on his fork and leaned across to feed it to her. As she took the bite, she looked him in the eye the entire time. 

Mercedes really did love the way he blushed. 

Maybe she was overthinking things, maybe she was wrapped up in her own mind, but there on the beach, she allowed herself to just let it be. 

She let herself like Dedue. 

He sat back up again, simply holding his glass by the stem, smiling serenely at Mercedes. Mercedes glanced down at the table, clothed in plastic rather than linen to better accommodate its sandy salty environment. She slid her hand over it, her fingertips brushing against Dedue’s. 

The check came and Mercedes was quick to snatch it up before Dedue could even think about going for it. 

“Mercedes,” Dedue pleaded. 

She pressed her lips together in a secretive smile and slipped her card into the clip. She waggled it in the air. 

“I have a little bit of what I set aside for this vacation,” she said coyly. “I can take this.” 

Dedue sighed, sitting back in his seat, still silently asking her to allow him to take the check. 

“Let me spoil you,” she said. 

With that, Dedue conceded. He huffed out a little laugh and shook his head, letting Mercedes take care of dinner and take care of him. He seemed like the type that didn’t get much of that and Mercedes was more than willing to shower Dedue in attention. If at least for one night. 

Wine glasses empty, check paid, and table empty save for the plate from the desert they shared, the night was coming to a close, but Mercedes didn’t want it to stop. She swiped up a bit of the whipped cream that was still on the plate. 

“How would you feel about going for a walk on the beach?” she asked. 

She slid her finger into her mouth, tasting the sweet, keeping her eyes on Dedue. He watched with fascination. 

“I would like that,” he said. 

The beach was once again tucked in by the darkness of night and only illuminated by the full moon and twinkling stars. That far away from any major cities, the night sky was clear enough to see the arm of their galaxy race across the sky in a streak of purples and blues. The vast expanse of the ocean disappeared into the dark, the horizon vanishing completely. In daylight, the waves were a crystal clear blue, the sand bed underneath clear as if they had been looking through glass. At night, the softly rolling waves were obscured, shadows coming in from the dark. The sounds of night life and other people were drowned out by the rush of water and wind, leaving Mercedes and Dedue alone in their own little world. 

They walked along, side by side, close enough that Mercedes could feel the heat that radiated from the big man’s body. She swayed as she stepped and her pinky brushed against his. Just the simple touch was enough to send a shiver up her body and they both jumped away from each other. Another few steps and Mercedes laughed to herself. 

“What is it?” Dedue asked, amused. 

“This is a little silly don’t you think?” Mercedes asked. 

“What’s silly?” Dedue asked. 

Mercedes shook her head. She reached out her hand and linked her fingers between Dedue’s. He coiled his hand in return, large and warm and almost encapsulating her own. He chuckled, understanding Mercedes, even if he already knew. 

They walked hand in hand, their arms gently swaying between one another, moving further and further away from the rest of the world. Alone on the beach with a man she had only met less than 24 hours ago, Mercedes should have been more on edge, but surprisingly she felt safe. A steady calm radiated from the man, a safety that draped over Mercedes like a cozy blanket on a cold day. She closed the gap between them even more, brushing her shoulder against his arm. The feel of their skin against one another sparked a delightful sensation between the two of them and Mercedes found herself not wanting to stand upright. 

It was like walking through a dream, treading down footprints already etched into the sand. Like she had done this before, in another life from another time. Her, there, with Dedue, hand in hand, somewhere far away. 

More than just deja vu. A memory. 

“I have two more days on the island,” she admitted. 

Dedue was silent for a long moment. 

“I leave tomorrow,” he said. He had a soft monotone, but Mercedes could still pick up the regret in his voice. 

She leaned her head against his arm. 

“Thats a shame,” she said. 

Dedue hummed in agreement. 

They came across a cabana that had been situated on the beach, still clean despite the wind and the waves. Soft white curtains blew in the breeze, a white L shaped couch curled around the corners for a prime view of the ocean. Plush pillows dotted the couch throughout, some with sequin embellishments that caught in the low light of the evening. 

Mercedes stepped inside its canopy, her hand slipping out from Dedue’s. Her feet touched down on the built wooden platform, sprinkled with sand. Dedue remained on the beach, just outside the cabana and just out of reach.

“I feel a little cheated,” she said. 

“I know what you mean,” Dedue said. 

Mercedes smiled at him, between the sinking of the sand and the rise of the platform it left Mercedes just a little higher than Dedue, so that she was looking down at him. 

“Just when things were getting good,” she said. 

Dedue finally stepped up into the shade of the cabana, Mercedes’ head tilting to look up at him. He stepped in close, close enough that they were just barely touching. Enough that Mercedes could see the swell of Dedue’s chest with every heavy breath. 

“It's already been very good,” he said quietly. 

He leaned in. Mercedes tilted her head. Her hand reached up, just shy of touching him. 

“It could be better,” she whispered against his lips. 

Dedue’s lips were soft and tasted of the wine from dinner and the salt on the air. They were warm and made Mercedes feel safe. She tilted her head back and slumped against him, pressing her weight into the kiss. 

Big hands came up to frame her face, to tilt her head, and Mercedes went wherever Dedue led her. She slid her hands over his flank, feeling the musculature that had been on display earlier that day, feeling the strength and definition through his shirt. His hands carded through her hair, thick fingers running through loose strands, coming out just to brush against her neck. Mercedes shivered and gave a little moan as she opened her mouth to taste Dedue deeper. 

He explored her. His hands slid down her back, pulling on her dress as he went. He trailed down her spine, down to the small of her back, pushing her closer and closer against his body. Just shy of touching anywhere impolite. 

As much as Mercedes wanted him to be impolite. 

Mercedes gasped into his mouth, the sound of it lost among rushing waves. She stumbled in an attempt to get closer to him, to crawl into him and be warm. Her hands curled into needy fists, pulling on the back of his shirt. Dedue fell with her, his feet shuffling backwards over the platform. Until the back of his legs hit the couch. 

Dedue plopped down onto the white cushions, pulling away from the kiss with a face of regret and an obvious want for more. His eyes looked so large in the moonlight as he looked up at Mercedes. 

Mercedes climbed that mountain of a man, one leg at a time going on either side of strong, thick thighs. She took his face in her hands and kissed him full and deep again. Those same wonderful hands came to rest upon her thighs, up to her hips, where they squeezed the ample flesh there. The skirt of her dress bunched up, revealing more skin that had tanned over the course of her vacation. 

Mercedes pulled back for air, to turn her head to get a better angle, to better taste Dedue. Out of some instinct, whether it had really been that long or the need was too great, Mercedes ground down on his lap, wriggled in his hands. Dedue whimpered and flinched against her lips. 

Mercedes pulled back in concern. 

"Too fast?" she asked. 

"I was just about to ask you that," Dedue said. More concern for Mercedes in his eyes than concern for himself.

Now who was putting others first. 

Mercedes stroked his face. 

"I'm probably not going to see you again," she whispered. 

Dedue stared up at her, looking from eye to eye, gazing upon her face, as if trying to make a decision. Mercedes knew when his decision was made when he reached up and fiercely tangled his fingers in her hair again, pulling her back down into a searing kiss. His grip was firm and concrete, holding Mercedes just where he wanted her. 

Mercedes let her touch wander, feeling what was new and interesting. His arms were broad and strong and Mercedes traced the bulge of them, digging her fingers in to pulse at the strength and hardness. Strained and almost shaking, her fingers slipped between them, over his chest. She made quick work, fumbling with his buttons. 

She wanted to know more about him. She wanted to have a million more late night conversations, days in the clear ocean, and wake up in his bed again. She wanted to let this marinate, to have this romance stew until it bubbled over, but under the hyperspeed of the beach, they were roiling. 

"It's unfair," she whined into his kiss. 

Dedue mimicked the sentiment with a whimper of his own. 

One by one, with every button Mercedes exposed Dedue's chest bare to the elements. A muscular expanse that she had lauded earlier made all the more erotic under the new context. Mercedes' fingers splayed over warm skin. She dug in, pulsating a grope to test just how firm he was. Dedue returned it, digging into Mercedes' hips and hiking her closer. 

Without pulling away from Dedue, turning her head to better taste of him, she reached behind herself to reach for her zipper. What had been simple in the sober light of day was proving to be impossible in the heat of passion. Mercedes couldn't quite wrap her fingers around the little pull tab.

Dedue pulled away from the kiss, a soft laugh on his lips. Mercedes attempted to go in for more, but Dedue leaned back against the pillows, just out of reach. 

"Let me," he said softly. 

Those same big hands pushed aside her fumbling own and plucked the pull tab. The zipper sang soft and sweet as the salt air kissed Mercedes' back. 

Mercedes laughed breathlessly and when she went in for more Dedue did not recoil. Giggles shared between them tickled her lips. He bunched up the fabric of Mercedes' dress and, as smooth as silk, he pulled it up and over her head. Hair fluffed and skin exposed to the sand laden air, Mercedes hadn't felt more naked than she did under Dedue's approving eyes. She smiled, sweet and secretive and hopefully making Dedue regret their short time together as much as she did. 

All in a rush, Dedue was on his feet, practically knocking Mercedes off hers. He would never let her fall though. He held onto her tight as they stumbled backwards and up against one of the sturdy posts of the cabana. Strong enough to withstand the storms that hit the ocean shores, but still the linen canopy quivered from the impact. 

Holding tight to Mercedes' wrists, Dedue pressed her hands overhead and stretched her out against the post. Mercedes groaned into his mouth and arched, pressing her body against Dedue's bare chest. She wriggled until she could slot her fingers in between Dedue’s own. He squeezed her hand, pulsating the hold, connected to one another in a way Mercedes hadn’t felt before. 

Stripped down to her underwear, Mercedes felt bare in front of a nearly fully clothed Dedue. She whined as he continued to ravage her lips. It wasn’t fair. With one hand free, she pushed at the shirt still draped over him. 

Dedue got on board and stepped away from her, shucking the shirt off his shoulders based on Mercedes’ silent command. Broad chest bare in the dark of the ocean night. 

When he went back in for more, his lips found Mercedes’ neck. He kissed as if worshipping, as if she were something holy. He suckled on it, drawing blood to the surface, leaving behind a souvenir. Mercedes wrapped her arms around his shoulders. 

“Dedue,” she whispered and it was swallowed by the waves. 

Kisses trailed down her neck, down her collar bone, down her sternum. Two to the soft skin of each breast, big hands taking hold and hefting them to meet Dedue’s lips. 

Mercedes groaned, rocking her head back and keeping her arms well over her head. She clutched the beam and once again, she swelled to meet his mouth. 

Down Dedue went, back hunched as he descended lower. A kiss to her stomach, then another. Until finally he was on his knees before her. Hands on Mercedes’ hips, Dedue looked up. His clear green eyes filled with a question. 

Mercedes looked down at the man at her feet, the one that worshipped her so. She bit her lip and nodded. 

Eye closed, Dedue leaned in. He rested another gentle kiss to the front of her panties, cotton white with soft lace detailing. Just a little thing, but it was at the right spot, the perfectly right tease to rile Mercedes up. She gasped and threw her head back, hitting the beam, but she didn’t care. Soon, Dedue had opened his mouth to wet the cloth, dampen her, as if she weren’t already. 

Dedue’s tongue slowly trailed up the fabric, pushing it between the folds of her lips. 

“Dedue,” Mercedes panted. “Please.” 

Finally she looked down, the man between her legs looking back up at her. The angle made his eyes look wide and big and ready to please. He coiled his fingers into the fabric of her underwear and slowly rolled them down her hips. As they descended the speed picked up until Mercedes was kicking them away. 

“Please,” Mercedes whispered again, this time loud enough to be heard over the gentle roar. 

Dedue closed his eyes and dove in for seconds. 

A thirsty tongue lapped at Mercedes, quickly finding her clit. The instantaneous jolt of pleasure that overcame her from the first touch was enough for Mercedes to lose her breath. She dropped a hand down to claw at the back of his head. His tongue tasted, swirled, lapped at her. He flicked her clit and it was enough to draw out a little squeak and a jump. Mercedes could feel Dedue’s smile and the quiet puff of a laugh against hot skin. 

Dedue tilted his head, hands twisting over Mercedes’ thighs to open them wider. He found the better angle to properly _taste_ inside her. 

Mercedes cooed and whimpered. Her legs shook as the thick tongue slid up her cunt, properly fucked her. She ground her hips to meet him in an effort to get her off. Mercedes’ hands fisted as she neared her orgasm, pulling strands of silver hair free of their neat tie. 

“Dedue,” Mercedes whimpered, high pitched and sounding like a song.

Dedue’s hands wrapped around Mercedes’ hips, thick fingers digging into the swell of her ass. With one last great thrust, Dedue pressed his face against her cunt, tongue delving in deep, eyes closed in reverence. He worked her over, lapping at her heat, tasting all her corners. He flicked her clit, circled it, ran the thick flat expanse of his tongue against it. His nose bumped her lower abdomen before sliding down as he tilted under her again. 

One of Mercedes’ legs lifted of its own accord and Dedue only aided it in spreading her open all the more wider. His big hand hiked her leg up, propping it up from under her thigh, until he could rest it on his shoulder, holding Mercedes up as he drank of her. 

Mercedes’ nails clawed into the back of his head in desperation. Back arched and toes curled. She froze in a passion induced rigor, all sounds caught in her tense throat. Then all at once, Mercedes convulsed. Pleasure ran through her like the waves in the dark. In stark desperate strikes that crashed down upon her shores. Her legs quivered under his hands and she knew it was by Dedue’s grip alone that she was still standing. 

Dedue kept going, kept tasting of her, kept eliciting shockwaves of sheer ecstasy. 

It was not until her orgasm finally died down did Dedue plant one more last chaste kiss to the inside of her thigh. He rose as slowly as he had gone down, traveling the trail he had blazed on the way down. He kissed her stomach, letting his lips drag across her skin. Worshipping Mercedes for giving him the opportunity to please her. His hands ran up her sides, mapping out her body and memorizing it. Until finally, Dedue stood before her again. 

His lip shone with the wet of Mercedes, puffy and swollen from his good work. Mercedes rested a hand on his cheek, her thumb swiping over his lower lip, dragging it to the side. Eyes heavy lidded, Dedue let Mercedes do as she pleased, touch what she wanted. 

Mercedes trailed her hands down Dedue’s chest, tracing the outlines of his musculature. She dug her fingernails into his skin, leaving behind brief indents in her wake, and pulling out a soft shiver from her one time lover. Down she went, over his stomach, over his hips, until her wrist turned and she palmed the tent in his pants. 

Dedue gasped, quiet even in his pleasure, and pressed his face into her neck. His fingers dug into her hips, gripping her hard enough to hurt, if only slightly. He ground against her hand, rotating his hips into her touch, searching for his own relief. 

Quick fingers worked on his belt and zipper, pulling Dedue’s cock out into the salty night air. Her hand stroked his length. Mercedes jerked him lightly, making sure to keep her eyes on him the entire time, to watch the pleasure build in his face. Her hand picked up speed, her wrist twisting, swiping at precum that beaded at the head to get a little bit of slick as she went. Dedue whimpered and leaned in close, his big hands clutching at her waist. 

He seemed tentative, wary, as their mouths neared one another. Unsure that Mercedes really wanted what they were doing. Mercedes kissed him, gentle and soft and an exact opposite to what her hand was doing. She could taste herself on him. 

“I want you,” she whispered into his ear. 

That seemed to be enough to spur Dedue into action. Coming from another place, a deep feral instinctual part of Dedue, he growled and bent down to hook his arms underneath Mercedes’ thighs. Without warning, Dedue hefted Mercedes up into the air, her back still pressed firmly against the beam. She squeaked and clamped onto his shoulders, enjoying the balance and strength Dedue had. 

Mercedes looked down between their bodies and watched as slowly, Dedue lowered her down onto his cock. The thick length of it disappearing into her heat. Mercedes moaned and threw her head against the beam, her hair dragging down it as she was lowered. 

“Mercedes,” Dedue whispered, tilting his head against her own. Eyes closed and lost in his own pleasure. Lost deep inside her. 

Mercedes wrapped her arms around Dedue's big shoulders and dug her nails into his skin. Her legs wrapped around his girth, her thighs squishing against his strength. Between the two of them and the post, Mercedes would stay up in the air. 

Foreheads pressed together, they breathed each other's air, heavy and hot. Mercedes opened her eyes to look directly into Dedue's. 

"Move," she whispered. 

Dedue nodded. With one great heft, he lifted Mercedes' body up his own, her chest pressed against his, then lowered her back down again. Mercedes moaned, looking nowhere else but at Dedue. He lifted her again, dropped her again, psychically fucking Mercedes up and down his dick. His arms shook with the careful exertion of the activity, Mercedes held on for all she was worth, and together they fucked. 

They descended into a rhythm. A place made up of heavy breaths and salted sweat. The fingers that dug into Mercedes' ass were stable, the arms around her were structure. She felt safe and couldn't imagine being anywhere safer. 

With a grunt of exertion, Dedue pushed forward and Mercedes' back hit the post again. The canopy above them flapped and clapped with every thrust of Dedue's hips. He pushed up, one leg going up on his toes to get just the right leverage to fuck into her. 

Mercedes flopped her head back, leaning just outside the safety of the cabana. She stared up into the night sky and saw stars. Clear as day, uninhibited by civilization and unnatural light. Alone in the dark. 

Mercedes laughed under the safety of night sky and in the safety of Dedue's arms. She righted herself and clutched Dedue's face between both hands and kissed him fiercely. 

Dedue managed a few more thrusts before they became staggered. Before a whine seeped past his lips. Mercedes pulled back and stroked his face. He looked to her, pleading for mercy. 

"Mercedes," he ground out. "I'm going to. . . " 

Mercedes nodded and stroked down his cheek again. 

"It's okay," she said. "It's safe. I'm safe. You’re safe. You can cum." 

Dedue's eyes squeezed shut and burst open at the last minute, not wanting to miss a thing. He thrust hard once more, Mercedes' back hitting the post she worried that the whole structure might come down. 

"Ah!" she squeaked and felt Dedue's dick dance deep inside her. 

Her legs tightened. Dedue's grip tightened. They locked in each other's embrace, holding their breath until it was done. 

Mercedes wanted that moment to never stop. 

Dedue finally sighed and the tension slid from his body. Carefully, he lifted Mercedes off his dick and lowered her to her feet. She wobbled, unsteady as sea legs, but Dedue was there to hold her up. 

They shared a look together, blushing and too amused to be ashamed, before breaking down in tittering giggles. Like teenagers on prom night or an old married couple that managed a quickie. Like they shared this vacation and weren't two strangers on the beach. 

Dedue gathered up Mercedes' dress and passed it off to her. 

"I'm not sure I want this night to end," she said, smoothing the fabric over her arm. 

Dedue rested a hand upon her cheek. 

"We have a few more hours," he said. 

A few more hours wasn't enough. Mercedes smiled up at him and could only think just how unfair it all was. 

_____

Snow began to fall from the sky wafting back and forth over a grey city draped in grey clouds. The storm came earlier than expected and Mercedes knew if she had any hope of making it home that she should leave that very second. Mercedes stared out the window, watching the world wash in white, and missed the clear sunny skies and blue sea. 

She missed a passion fueled night on the beach. 

Little souvenirs from vacation. Tan lines, jet lag. The hickey on her neck that Constance had spent a day mocking. It was beginning to fade. 

“You should go,” Annette said. 

Mercedes turned to her friend and wondered how long she had been standing there, applications in hand. She looked down at the file that was halfway placed on its pile. 

“Oh,” she said. 

“Go on head out,” Annette said, taking the applications from Mercedes. “I got the rest of this.” 

Mercedes thanked her friend, bundled up for the cruel weather, and began her trek outside. She shoved her hands into her pockets and shivered, missing the heat all the more. A small part of her regretted going on vacation in the first place. If she hadn’t gone, there would have been nothing to miss. 

No one to miss. 

Mercedes shook her head. It figured that the first man she remotely had an interest in dating was a random hook up on a vacation. They were never going to see one another again. Getting his phone number hadn’t made sense. What was the point of starting something long distance when her life was already so busy. 

She sighed to herself, once again letting the regret and melancholy wash over her. 

It sure would have been nice. 

Mercedes stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, staring down at her shoes, and letting the traffic flow past her. For days now she had been laying in bed alone, remembering what it had been like to have Dedue’s arms wrap around her as they fell asleep, and pretending that moment had been her day to day life. How quickly she had fallen for someone, how well they had slotted into each other. It had been a perfect match, he had been a perfect piece, to Mercedes. 

She could still hear Constance’s voice in her head, the one telling her that she couldn’t be alone forever. An old maid, she had said. 

In her lonely moments, Mercedes thought about joining ‘the hunt.’ Going to a bar, finding another person to fill that spot. 

But none of them were Dedue. 

One more sigh and Mercedes looked up again. It was what it was. She’d have to get over Dedue and move forward in her life and hope, desperately hope, another person would waltz into her life as naturally as he did. 

Mercedes continued her walk down the icy sidewalk. 

“Mercedes?” 

The timbre of the voice saying her name made Mercedes’ heart flip flop. Her breath caught in her throat and she froze in place. 

She hadn’t expected to hear that voice ever again and it stopped her world on a dime. 

Mercedes whipped her head around, looking as eager as a kid on christmas, just to make sure she hadn’t misheard. 

There he was, standing in the snowy backdrop, in a world where he didn’t belong. 

Dedue. 

He looked bigger in a smart winter jacket, woolen pea coat and gloves. The scarf Mercedes had seen so carefully folded on his hotel dresser was wrapped around his neck, loose enough and high enough to hide his chin in. Its brilliant colors stood out in the grey world they inhabited. 

His eyes were wide and a slight smile was beginning to curve the corners of his lips. Just as surprised as to see her as Mercedes was to see him. 

The butterflies began to swell within her stomach and the overwhelming itch to run into his arms had to go ignored. A sensation meant for love sick kids and not fully grown women, but there she was, stripped down to her basest emotions, far more naked than she had been on that beach. 

“Dedue!” Mercedes said a little breathless. “What are you doing here?” 

“I work here,” he said. He looked over his shoulder and pointed down the street at the row of buildings that curved off into the distance. “And you?” 

Mercedes pointed in the exact same direction, where she had just come from, mouth hanging open. They could have walked past each other a million times over. They could have rode the same train home together, standing side by side in the same car. They could have gone to the same food court, eaten at the same little place that Mercedes loved, sat back to back from each other as they enjoyed their respective meals. 

Dedue might have been interwoven into the background of Mercedes’ life long before she met him. 

“Your non-profit is here?” he asked. 

“Yes,” she said, her own smile beginning to match his, the excitement shared between them. “Are you visiting?” 

She asked the question with hesitation, worried that it was a work trip, that her hopes that he lived in the city weren’t premature. Dash them before they could snowball, even if it was already far too late for that. 

“I live just outside the city,” Dedue said, lamely pointing in the other direction. 

“You live here?” Mercedes asked breathlessly. 

Dedue nodded, just as dazed as Mercedes felt. 

“I live here,” Mercedes said with a laugh. 

“You do?” Dedue asked. 

“Yes!” Mercedes nodded enthusiastically. 

They breathlessly stared at each other as the rest of the scurrying commuters moving around them like river waters around stone. Gone was the concern for the storm, replaced with the revelation of opportunity. The world dropped away to memories of sun and salt. Of quiet breathless names whispered in the night. 

Mercedes was the first to break it with a quiet laugh, her hand covering her mouth. Dedue returned it a moment later, sheepishness looking strange on the big man. Mercedes shuffled forward. 

“Who would have guessed it,” she giggled. “Had I known, I would have asked for your number.” 

“It's not too late,” Dedue said. 

Mercedes smiled up at the big man, a light blush flushed across her cheeks that had nothing to do with the cold. She bit her lip and looked up at the sky, if only to not be caught staring. 

“I wish the weather wasn’t so bad,” she said. “I would ask if you’d like to get a coffee.” 

“Well can I ask to walk you to the station?” Dedue asked, closing the gap between them. 

Mercedes slipped into his side, like she belonged there, and hooked her arm into his. She held onto his elbow and felt the heat radiating off him, appreciated all the more in the cold weather. Without thinking about it, she leaned in closer. 

“I would appreciate that,” she said, letting him lead her. 

Mercedes wondered if it would be too much to invite him home, to weather the storm together. 

“You still have a sun tan,” Dedue remarked, blushing and his eyes darting to the faint remnants of the hickey he left.

“Do I?” Mercedes said, knowing very well what her tan lines looked like. And so did he. 

She could already hear the ocean waves.

**Author's Note:**

> Twitter: [OhNo_Hello](https://twitter.com/OhNo_Hello)  
> Tumblr: [ScrumpyLikesThings](https://scrumpylikesthings.tumblr.com/)


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